She was running short _______ time.
2025
She was running short _______ time.
- A.
at
- B.
of
- C.
with
- D.
for
Attempted by 285 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Answer: 'of'.
Complete sentence: She was running short of time.
Explanation –
'Short of' is a fixed collocation meaning 'lacking' or 'not having enough'.
Example: She was running short of time = She did not have enough time.
Other examples: We are short of cash; The store is short of staff.
Why the other prepositions are wrong:
'At' indicates a specific time or place (e.g., at 5 pm) and does not express shortage.
'With' means accompanied by or having something, not lacking it.
'For' generally indicates purpose, duration, or beneficiary and does not convey shortage.
Tip: Learn common collocations (words that commonly go together). 'Short of' + noun is the pattern to express 'not having enough' of that noun.